Vaccine tourism takes wing with Dubai rush
KANPUR/LUCKNOW: Call it vaccine tourism or by any other name, some people are going to Dubai just to get a shot of the Covid-19 vaccine, tour operators of Lucknow and Kanpur have said.
Those heading out from Kanpur to Dubai and other cities in the United Arab Emirates for Covid-19 inoculation are primarily affluent businessmen.
For instance, a top businessman, who has some properties in Dubai, said he went there in the last week of December. He got his first Covid-19 shot a day after Christmas with his wife.
“I got the Pfizer vaccine; I am waiting for the second dose that will be given after 20 days. at Aster DM Healthcare ( a hospital in Dubai). I will return to India after getting it,” he said over the phone.
“Many more are doing this to get themselves inoculated against the virus and get back to normal life. I am doing absolutely fine with no adverse symptoms so far,” he said, adding he met a few friends who, too, had taken the vaccine in UAE.
The Pfizer vaccine has become available in UAE, which was earlier administering a Chinese vaccine, mainly Sinopharm, for emergency use. Anshuman Kapoor, another businessman, travelled a week ago from Kanpur for this vaccine.
“I was not sure as to when the vaccination for the general public will begin in India. My airlines told me to have an RT-PCR report 96 hours before I intended to travel,” he said.
Earlier, he said, the Pfizer vaccine was meant for UAE citizens, people above 60 and those with chronic ailments, irrespective of their nationality, were eligible. But the rules have been relaxed now, he added.
Shariq Alvi, managing director of Awadh Tours and Travels, said on average 25 people from Kanpur were going to Dubai from Lucknow airport daily. The Chaudhary Charan Singh airport in Lucknow is the closest international airport facility for travellers from Kanpur.
“It is surprising but this is the trend right now. Those going to Saudi Arabia are preferring to stay in Dubai (en route) for
I got the Pfizer vaccine; I am waiting for the second dose that will be given after 20 days. at Aster DM Healthcare ( a hospital in Dubai). I will return to India after getting it A TOP BUSINESSMAN
three weeks,” he said.
Earlier during the off-season, four to five passengers travelled (to Dubai) every day and the number went up to 20 in the peak season, he added.
Most of the flights from Lucknow to Dubai were operating to their full capacity since January, said M Shoeb, president of International Air Transport Association (IATA) , Lucknow.
“The planes are packed, every seat is booked. In the first week of December, the occupancy was between 80 to 90% but recently the occupancy is almost 100%,” he said.
Sunil B Sataywakta, director of Civica Travels, said, “We have been informed that some people have gone to get a jab not only to Dubai but also to the USA. The rush to Dubai could be due to the fact as it is the only city welcoming passengers despite Covid around the world . Now, Maldives has opened its tourist destinations. Sri Lanka is opening its destinations from January 17. But we have reports of people going to Dubai just to get a shot of vaccine, and this is not a bad choice.”
An airline official, who did not wish to be named, said , “We are getting information that some people are travelling to Dubai to get a shot of the vaccine available there. If this is true, then it’s good for the business of airlines.”